Stories From Around the State

Each state has focused some of their energy on voting rights and elections – 2230 bills relating to elections, both good and bad, have been introduced in state legislatures across the country since January.

Voting rights have been under attack in state legislatures across the country for more than a decade and there are no signs of it letting up in 2013. Indeed 2013 could be a year that sets back voting rights more than all of the attacks of the past decade combined.

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I voted this morning at my public library today in the battleground state of Virginia. Arriving before 8 am, I was surprised to see the line of mostly young professionals already snaking through the parking lot and down the sidewalk. I should have brought coffee, I grumbled to myself.

I buttoned up my coat and got in line. After several years of voting absentee as a student, this was my first chance to vote in person for our next president. I couldn’t wait to wear that “I Voted” sticker!

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Like so many voters in battleground states, my oldest son, age 26 and living in Charlottesville, VA, has long ago stopped watching TV (except for such essential viewing as ESPN, University of Georgia football and the NFL) because of the incessant, negative political ads. However, his vote will really count so nothing could stop him from going to vote this morning at 6 am when the polls opened in Virginia.

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In reviewing states (CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NC, OH, PA, RI, SC, VT, VA and WV) that have been affected by Hurricane Sandy we found that most states have not changed their voting procedures. However, some states that were hardest hit have extended hours for registration and early voting.

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The League and its allies were successful in keeping voter ID bills from passing in a number of states including Colorado, Delaware, Iowa, Maine, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon and Virginia. Only Kansas, Pennsylvania and Tennessee have passed voter photo ID laws that are currently in effect. In retrospect, thanks to the Leagues ongoing work, we are better off than we had anticipated when the legislative sessions began!